Copenhagen's bicycle ambassador Mikael Colville-Andersen argues in a TEDx talk that bicycle helmets threaten bicycle culture. He says they distract from road design and make cycling look dangerous.
Why Hacker News points people here: Pointed to in helmet-law debates as a watchable argument that helmet mandates may cost lives by discouraging cycling.
“If you would rather watch than read, there's this”HN comment, 2016
“Anyone just blindly downvoting snovv_crash should check out the video above”
Argues helmets distract from poor road design and unsafe driving.
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this video Anyone just blindly downvoting snovv_crash should check out the video above and any number of other resources, such as this one: link There are strong feelings on both sides, but many cyclists feel helmets are a distraction from the real issues which make cyclists unsafe: poor road design and unsafe driving. Cycling itself is (counter-intuitively) a very safe activity which looks dangerous; everyone assumes driving and walking are safe but often they are not. Yet nobody seriously proposes helmets for pedestrians or drivers, just cyclists.
RecommendsDoveSep 2016
“If you would rather watch than read, there's this”
Watchable introduction to why helmets may do more harm than good.
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If this is a new topic to you (I don't mean, you , SturgeonsLaw, as you are clearly familiar with it :) -- I mean the reader), you would do well to consider both sides. I personally find the arguments that bike helmets cause more harm than good persuasive, and a good and thorough introduction may be found here: link If you would rather watch than read, there's this: this video
Cites itcshesseSep 2012
“There are multiple factors that could affect this, here are two such things”
Cited as a factor in whether helmet requirements reduce injuries.
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When I was a kid, my best friend's brother died because he was not wearing a bike helmet. I do, in fact, always wear a bike helmet. The argument is not whether, if hit in the head, you are more likely to get a head injury. It is clear that bike helmets reduce those injuries. The question is, if we required everyone to wear helmets, or required everyone to not wear helmets, which would result in less injuries/fatalities. And secondarily, if it turns out that bike helmets reduce injuries and fatalities, has it been worth the cost, vs other things we could spend money on, say legally required non-slip surfaces for bathtubs. There are multiple factors that could affect this, here are two such things: * link * this video
Cites itownagefoolSep 2016
“TED talk discussing the issues”
TED talk disputing that helmets are safer.
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There are studies and talks that would suggest the opposite is true. For example:- For example: link TED talk discussing the issues: this video Common sense would dictate that the helmet is safer, but we could argue the science leaves a lot to be desired.
Cites itm463Jan 2024
“helmet laws might be costing lives”
Talk arguing helmet laws may cost lives through reduced exercise.
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reminds me of the ted talk where the speaker said that helmet laws might be costing lives. The idea was that more people would be saved by the opportunity to exercise than were saved by the helmets. I think this one? this video
Cites itm463May 2024
“There was a ted talk that said bicycle helmet laws would kill more people than save.”
Talk arguing helmet laws kill more through lost fitness.
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reminds me of the bicycle helmet stuff. There was a ted talk that said bicycle helmet laws would kill more people than save. The reasoning was preventing people from riding would also prevent increased fitness, and more lives were lost from that than saved from accidents. EDIT: I think this one: this video
Jokesatellite2Sep 2023
“The illusion of safety prevents people getting armed to their teeth”
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The illusion of safety prevents people getting armed to their teeth and as such participate to their safety. this video
